Veronica Mars Series Now Available Streaming On Amazon Prime

Let me guess, since they announced the Veronica Mars movie, you’ve been dying rewatch the entire series from start to finish. Or maybe you’ve never seen it and you’ve been looking for a way to get caught up without having to shell out for the DVDs. It stood to reason that Warner Bros. would give people the opportunity to do that ahead of the film’s release. It’s obviously to the studio’s benefit to have as many fans on board when the film arrives in theaters on March 14. Pulling the episodes off their website seemed counterproductive in that respect, but they’ve made amends, as the studio’s TV distribution branch has struck a deal with Amazon Prime to show all three seasons of the original series on the site’s subscription video service.

I just checked Amazon, and sure enough, the show is up and running with a big green “Watch Now” button, indicating that it's Prime-ready. I know what I’m doing today…

For those who have yet to watch Veronica Mars, the former UPN/CW series starts out centering on the title character, played by Kristen Bell, a teen outcast who moonlights as a private detective — working mainly for her father — while also trying to figure out who is responsible for the death of her best friend Lily Kane. The well-publicized murder ties into her father’s fall from grace as town sheriff and Veronica’s own loss of status at high school.

The series is clever, funny, dramatic and full of great moments, not to mention a mystery that will keep you guessing right to the first season finale. There’s also a pretty incredible cast, which includes Bell, Enrico Colantoni (who plays her father), Jason Dohring, Percy Daggs, Ryan Hansen, Tina Majorino and more amazing guest stars than you can shake a marshmallow at. Season 1 is pretty much perfection. If you can only watch one season, that’s the one to watch. Season 2 is decent, focusing on a new murder mystery and finishing off Veronica’s high school sentence. Season 3? Well, it’s kind of a mess and it leaves us hanging, but that's almost ok now, considering the film is due to hit theaters in a matter of months.

Amazon says that Prime Instant Video will be the exclusive online-only subscription home for streaming the series, which means if you were holding out hope that it would pop up on Netflix or Hulu Plus, you’re out of luck, at least until the film hits theaters. On the bright side, if you’re looking to catch up on Veronica Mars, the Prime Membership kind of pays for itself if you watch all three seasons. As the DVDs are priced now on the site, it would cost you more than $90 to purchase all three seasons of VM on Amazon. Prime’s annual fee is just $79. So you’re already saving money. Plus, a membership comes with added benefits. In addition to accessing Prime’s growing library of streaming movies and TV shows, you’re also getting free two-day shipping (on eligible items) and access to the Kindle Owner’s Lending Library (requires a kindle).

As a frequent and satisfied Amazon customer, I love Prime, mainly for the two-day shipping. Their video library isn’t quite at Netflix’s level yet, but they’re making some strides, adding original content and exclusive deals like this one, not to mention the deals they’ve worked out with CBS to stream new episodes of specifics series (Under the Dome and the upcoming mystery thriller Extant) just days after they air.

This Veronica Mars deal is one more great perk. And I say this, again, as a satisfied customer and nothing more, lest you think I get anything out of sharing my opinion. The shipping alone is worth the membership cost, in my opinion. If you’re not an Amazon shopper, the $79 will probably seem a bit steep, and it kind of is if we’re only comparing Prime’s video selection to Netflix’s. But factor in the added perks, not to mention this new Veronica Mars deal and it’s certainly worth considering.

You have some time to decide, as Veronica Mars doesn’t arrive in theaters until March 14.